Tag Archives: New Year’s Day

As the More is More Mom®, I’m all about….a more meaningful start to the New Year! Whether you ring in the New Year in Times Square or in the privacy of your own home, why not kick off January 1st with a gorgeous and delicious meal? There is nothing better than lounging around in your pajamas, enjoying the day with your family. I like to make our time together special; setting the table with linens and cloth napkins, candles, stemware and china. Rather than serve something ordinary, I like to take it up a few notches, serving a beautiful brunch.

I am a huge fan of the Egg Casserole; in fact, I just made my husband, Chuck’s, favorite one on Christmas morning. To welcome in the New Year however, I love a hearty meal that can be served for breakfast (who could possibly be up that early?), brunch or dinner; the Croque-Madame. Doesn’t that sound impressive? In essence, it’s a very fancy-schmancy grilled cheese sandwich, topped with a very tasty fried egg.

This is the most amazing recipe and the sandwich is going to absolutely melt in your mouth. While I’m all about a fabulous meal, my first consideration is for the safety of my family. This recipe calls for the fried egg to be just set, still a little bit runny. It tastes amazing, but I’d hate to run the risk of exposing my family to salmonella. Who wants a run to the Emergency Room when there is more fun to be had? That is why I used Safest Choice™ Pasteurized Shell Eggs.

Safest Choice Pasteurized Shell Eggs

Croque-Madame:

Serves 4

Sauce ingredients

Sauce:

1 stick of butter

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

2 cups of whole milk

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp grated nutmeg

1/3 cup of shredded cheese, something that melts nicely. I used a sharp cheddar

Sandwich:

Sandwich Ingredients

8 slices of sandwich bread

5 tsp Dijon Mustard

10 slices of cooked Canadian bacon (or ham)

4large eggs

Sauce:

The sauce becomes luscious and thick. It’s so good; you could eat it with a spoon!

In a saucepan, over medium-low heat, melt;

4 Tbsp butter

Whisk in;

3 Tbsp flour

Whisking continually for 3 minutes

Add;

2 cups of milk

Whisk and bring to a boil

Reduce heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes

Add;

Salt

Pepper

Nutmeg

Cheese

Whisk until cheese is thoroughly melted

Remove from the heat and immediately cover with a piece of wax paper

Sandwiches:

Pre-heat oven to broil

Lay out all 8 slices of bread

On four, spread;

2 Tbsp of sauce

Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese, ¼ cup per slice

On the remaining 4 pieces, spread;

5 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 ¼ tsp on each slice

Top each slice of bread with 2 pieces of Canadian bacon

Flip Dijon mustard and Canadian bacon slice of bread onto the sauce and cheese slice to make a sandwich

In a skillet, melt;

2 Tbsp of butter

Once foamy and melted, place sandwich in skillet for 1-2 minutes

Adding another Tbsp of butter if necessary, flip sandwiches over for another 1-2 minutes

Remove from skillet, and place on a greased pan (I like to line mine with aluminum foil for easier clean up)

Top each sandwich with;

1/3 cup of sauce

Broil sandwich for 3-4 minutes, at least 6 inches form the heat, until the sauce is bubbly and golden

Keep warm

Wipe out skillet

Add;

1 tsp of butter for every two eggs fried, over medium heat

Break Safest Choice™ Pasteurized Shell Eggs into skillet

Sprinkle with;

Salt

Pepper

Cook for 3 minutes, or until yolks are just set, and likely still runny

Carefully remove from skillet and place one fried egg on each sandwich

It would be lovely to accompany the egg sandwich with a light, mixed green salad and some fresh fruit

Light Salad Dressing;

Serves 4

In a small bowl, whisk together;

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

3 Tbsp oil

Toss onto 4-6 cups of mixed tender greens

Top with a soft crumbled cheese, such as feta or goat cheese

Fresh Fruit;

Mixed berries, such as strawberries, raspberries and blueberries are lovely

The evening before, I like to set my table. I chose a warm golden hue, with a variety of textures; velvet, basket weave, damask and bamboo. The juxtaposition creates an interesting arrangement.

All that’s left now is to plate, serve and enjoy.

More delicious meals, more family time, more fresh starts…..

I’m so excited to be working with Safest Choice™ Pasteurized Shell Eggs. I’m a Chicago girl and I love that they are a Chicago area company. Their message promotes educating the public on the importance of serving our families safe eggs, and I’m all about making more healthy and safe meals for my family.